Beverage dispensing system



Oct. 2, 1956 N. E. RICE BEVERAGE DLSPENSVING SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed may 5. 1952 IN VEN TOR.

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BEVERAGE DISPENSING SYSTEM Filed May 5, 19'52 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 TIE-:v '7 T- E K ,e4 u lf\ I| I I 1 je SO 30 A|60 M s@ "6 W61 i 94 1 -1r 74' a4 @A ifi f IV TIE.- E i:JL/7a. I i V* l I ,ida l EL l 1 E f e E a \sa/ a k //do 60 62 66 Jo 94 v INVENTOR. 4 74 96 4 /l/fzsa/y f. /cf

MWF? Vw BEVERAGE DISPENSING SYSTEM Nelson Edward Rice, Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich., assrgnor of one-half to Harry G. Rice, Detroit, Mich.

Application May 5, 1952, Serial No. 286,146

1 Claim. (Cl. 217-100) This invention relates to a beverage dispensing system.

The present invention is particularly adaptable to beer dispensing equipment and especially to the Peerless system of beverage dispensing. It is desirable to provide a sealed barrel regardless of whether the barrel is full or empty. However, the problem of sealing the barrel in such a way as to permit it to be tapped by the insertion of a tapping tube into the barrel has never been satisfactorily solved.

Certain rubber valves have been used on the barrels used for these tapping systems, but because of their nature and flexible construction their life has been short and at low pressure they invariably leak.

Another complicating factor for valve systems on these barrels used for beer is the fact that the inside of the barrels are often pitched after each use. While this might not be necessary with some metal barrels, still some of the trade continues in the pitching operation.

This means that they are coated inside with a hot pitch at about 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and any valve or other equipment used in the barrel must be capable of operating when coated with this pitch and also'capable of standing up under the temperatures used for the pitching.

rl`he present invention contemplates a mechanical valve which can be applied to new barrels and also readily adapted to barrels already in use. inasmuch as the investment of any particular brewing company in stainless steel barrels runs into hundreds of thousands of dollars, the necessity for providing a valve unit which can be adapted to the existing barrels is as important as a valve system which can be used on new barrels.

Briefly, the present invention contemplates a valve assembly which can be inserted into a barrel through the side bung and drawn up into place in the main opening in the barrel head. The valve is adapted to be held in position by springs designed to operate under any circumstances and is also designed to permit ready operation by the insertion of the tapping tube.

ln addition, the particular sealing element of the valve is readily exchanged if there should be any accidental damage thereto or wear over a long period of time. Also, the entire unit can be readily exchanged if there is any failure due to faulty material in the original construction.

Other objects and features of the invention relating especially to details of construction and operation will be apparent in the following description and claim.

Drawings :accompany the disclosure, and the various views thereof may be briefly described as:

Figure 1, a sectional view of the valve and tapping system illustrating the tapping tube about to enter the barrel.

Figure 2, `a sectional View on line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3, a view of the valve proper shown pushed into open position by the tapping tube.

Figure 4, a sectional view on line 4 4 of Figure l.

Figure 5, a side view of the valve assembly taken on line 5 of Figure l.

Figure 6, a view of a barrel with the entire tapping assembly in place.

nited States Patent Figure 7, a view showing a method of tapping an installed bung opening in 'an existing barrel.

Figure 8, a sectional View showing the manner in which a replacement valve is threaded into position from the nside of a barrel.

Figure 9, a sectional view of the bung with valve in place and a protective cap in the open outer end.

Referring to the drawings, in Figure 6 a steel barrel 20 is shown having a side bung 22 and an end bung plate 24. 'Phe Peerless dispensing unit is shown generally at 26 in Figure 6 having a tap rod 28 extending down into the barrel.

Figures 1, 5 and 7 show in cross section a depressed, cup-like formation 30 in the bung plate 24. Rising centrally in this depression is a bushing 32 which has bayonet connections 34, Figure 2, which co-operate with a locking collar 36 on the dispensing unit.

A tap washer 38 is adapted to be compressed by a threaded top nut 40 to seal the cap around the rod 28. On the top of bushing 32 a compressible bush washer 42 is sealed against the bushing by turning the threaded adjuster ring 44. The locking collar 36 has lugs 46 which co-operate with the bayonet slots of the bushing 32.

In present-day installations using the above-described tap mechanism, a seal is obtained by a cork which is driven into the top bung. W'hen the barrel is tapped, the cork is driven down into the barrel by the rod 28 as it is inserted. After the beer has been used and the tap mechanism, including the rod, has been removed from the barrel, this opening in the bushing formerly sealed by the cork is left open to the air. This opening is a source of contamination in the handling of the barrel and necessitates a washing and re-pitching of the barrel before it can be re-filled. in the case of aluminum and stainless steel barrels, this situation results in a pitching operation which might not be necessary if the barrel were sealed at all times.

The present invention contemplates in part an adapting system for using present-'day barrels with the sealing mechanism to be disclosed. The first step in the adaptation is the dropping of a chain 50 (Figure 7) having a lead plug 52 through the bushing 32 and out through the side bung 22, where a thread t-ap 54 is applied to the lead plug. The chain is then drawn up through the opening of the bushing 32 `and a wrench may be applied to the plug 52 to turn the tap 54 and create a threaded opening 56 inside the bushing.

The tap 54 is then threaded out of the opening 56 and dropped out through the side bung 22 and removed from the lead. The barrel is then ready for the application of a valve shown in Figures 1, 3 and 5. This valve has a body portion 60 having a threaded neck 62 adapted to thread into the tapped bushing 32.

The body has an outwardly extending face portion 64 carrying a washer 66 to form a seal between the valve body and the lower surface of the bushing 32. The interior of the neck portion 62 has a hexagonal shape as at 68, Figure 4, to permit tightening of the valve into the opening. Depending from the flanged body portion 60 on one side thereof are two spaced lugs 70 which, as a clevis,` pivotally support a cage member 72 having a U- shaped cross section with sides 74 connected by a bight portion 76.

Lugs 78 co-operate with a pivot 80 to mount the cage on the body portion 60. At the lower end of the cage, as shown in Figures 1 and 5, two spreading arms 82 diverge away from the main portion of the cage. From the ends of these arms tension coil springs 84 extend upwardly to small, spring-retaining lugs 86 depending from the flange of the valve. The valve closure member for the body consists of a plug member 90 having an annular tlange 92 which supports a rubber washer 94 which co-operates with the seat formed on the bottom surface of the valve body around the' opening therein.

A small stud projection 96 enters the cage 72 between the sides 74 and is positioned at one side by the bight portion 761. The sides '74 are hollowed out slightlyl te receive the cylindrical shape of the stud 96, and the lugs 70 and 7i? servey toretain the flange 92 at the other side.

The installa-tion into position is accomplished alsowith the chain 50 and the lead plug 52 which isA passed doWn through they bushing 32 and' out through the side bung 22. The valve is thenl fastened on as shown in Figurel 8, a small spring 1500V serving to engage one of the hexagonal Walls of the inside of the' valve'. The Valve is drawn through the sidebung and up into position, where it can be threaded into' place and sealed against the bottom' Wall of the depressed recess 30, as shown especially in Figure 8.

The lead plug 52 serves as av wrench to tighten the valve intoposition. in Figure 1- the valve is shown in position i-rr the top bung and the valve plug is in closed seal'- ing position relative tothe valve body. The tap rod 28 is shown in Figure l in position ready to open the valve.

ln- Figure 3 the tap rod is shownk as it hasy been pressed down against the valve to urge the valve toy open position. It will: beseen that the endl 102 of the tap rod exerts its force against the metal plug member 90 and does not disturbor touch the sealing member 94; The springs 84 are stretched to the position shown in Figure 3, and the valve is held in this posi-tion `as long as the tap rod is in thebarrel. As soon as the tapl rod is withdrawn, the valvel arm or cage '74 swings into closed position by reason of the springs 84.

TheV coil springs 84 are preferably about two inches in length when no tension is applied. They are applied under tension in closed position so that the overall length is about 2%V inches, and in full open position the springs are stretchedto about 3 inches. This is well within the elastic limit of the spring steel; and due to the fact that two relativelyy long springs are used, the construction is designed for extremely long spring life. Pressures within the beer barrels seldom' exceed 15 pounds per square inc'h; and of course, in closed position the pressure tends to urge the valve more tightly toward its seat.

Even if it is necessary to pitch the barrels, the valve operates perfectly well regardless of the amountl of pitching and is not subject to any destruction as a result of the pitching temperature of 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Pitching has no effect whatsoever on the opening or closing of the valve. The sealing ring 94 is preferably formed of neoprene.

lt will be understood, of course, that as present-day barrels become discarded due to obsolescence the new barrels may be actually manufactured with the threaded socket as shown in Figure 8 to receive the valves.

ln Figure 9' a sectional view shows the use of a screw bung plug if this is desired. For long shipments under certain conditions, this added protection may be desired to keep the tap-hole free from damage. Also, it' affords a double seal uptothe time' that thebarrel is actually tapped and can be used too as a temporary seal before valves are installed.

I claim:

A valve for use with a pressure container having a threaded bushing on one wall shaped to co-operate with a dispensing apparatus and 'having two sealing surfaces, one at the outer end and one at the inner' end', said valve comprising, a threadedI nipple to be held i-n the threaded portion of said bushing, a flangeI on` said nipple for cooperating witlr the inner sealing surfacev of the bushing to seal: the same, and means pi'votally mounted on said flange toclose the nipple fromv within the container comprising an elongate member having an opening at one end, a valve closure plug removably located in said latter' opening, means on said Hangenrounting said member in pivotal relation to said' nipple andmeans to bias said last member in co-a-xial relation to' said' nipple when in closed position, said member being movable by pressure on said closure4 plug' to a position transverse to the axis of said nipple.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNTTED STATES PATENTS 599.78% Leidch Mar. 1, 1898 713,975` Forg Nov; 18, 1902 1,024,971- Brague Apr. 30, 1912 2,305,196 Sehlabaugh. Dee. 15, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 141,655 Germany May 30, 1903 19,965 Great Britain Mar. l, 1906 

